


Et in arcadia ego

by glim



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Pastoral, Team Gluttony, pthon extra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-16
Updated: 2011-07-16
Packaged: 2017-10-21 10:48:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/224345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glim/pseuds/glim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wherein Arthur meets the Knight of the Dragon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Et in arcadia ego

"Maybe they're pirates." Shading his eyes, Arthur gazes out toward the shimmering horizon where a ship struggles to stay afloat.

Morgana's dozing off, but rouses herself enough to roll her eyes at Arthur. "Doubt it. Why would pirates come here?"

Arthur shrugs. From the top of the hill, the ship looks like a little wooden toy bobbing in a tub of sloshing water.

Suddenly, the ship gives a silent shudder and sinks. A second later, a tiny speck appears on the sea, moving closer to the shore.

Arthur jumps up and tugs Morgana along with him. "Somebody survived the shipwreck!"

+

The survivor isn't a pirate, but a _knight_. A proper one, in full armor, with a sword and shield. Morgana has about as much use for this knight as she does pirates, and leaves Arthur with the nearly-drowned man once they drag him offshore.

He's quite young, with dark hair and fair skin; removing his armor to let it dry reveals a lean, muscled body.

Arthur touches the knight's cheek, then his mouth, just to check his breathing, and smiles when the man blinks up at him. There's something about him that ought to be familiar, but it escapes Arthur.

+

"Where am I?" Even after a meal of bread, wine, and cheese, the man is weak. He's pulled off his boots and buried his long toes in the soft grass.

"Pantaleria. Uther rules this land and the shepherds who live here." Arthur says, and beams to add, "I'm his son, Arthur."

"So, I've found myself a prince to serve. Fabulous."

"You could look a bit more grateful. And who are you?"

The man hesitates and pushes his dark hair off his forehead. "You can call me Merlin, but tell everyone else that it's the Knight of the Dragon you've met."

+

"Have you never seen a knight before?"

"Of course I have. Once," Arthur amends when the Merlin raises an eyebrow at him. "It was a lady knight, but…"

"But? Were you disappointed?"

"Oh, no, she was quite skilled and handsome. More interested in my sister, though," Arthur mumbles and his face heats. Merlin's been here long enough that Arthur's used to watching him train, but hasn't yet grown accustomed to the way Merlin casts slow, knowing glances his way while he watches.

"Well, now you've a knight of your own, my prince." Merlin lowers his sword and bows before Arthur.

+

On midsummer's evening, the Knight of the Dragon watches the pastoral games with Arthur and his family. He even dons his armor for Uther, though it's to Arthur that he bows again and smiles in that private way he only has for Arthur.

"My shepherd prince," he murmurs later that night when he and Arthur are sprawled out on the grass.

"I don't actually tend the sheep." Arthur shifts so his bare leg brushes Merlin's and he can feel the warmth of Merlin's body all along his.

Merlin kisses him, his mouth curving into that same slow, knowing smile.

Arthur returns the kiss, touching his lips to Merlin's shyly, then more eagerly when Merlin coaxes him closer. And, then, suddenly, he discovers he can't stop kissing Merlin. His lips wander from Merlin's mouth to his smooth cheeks to his warm neck, to the dip in his collarbone and the point of his shoulder.

He licks his tongue and wet mouth over Merlin's bare chest, lapping at his skin as if it were cool water or sweet wine, and nuzzles over the tight, dark peaks of Merlin's nipples to make him laugh.

The sound rings through the fields and sky and Arthur knows, in that moment, when his body fits against Merlin's, how the sky and stars must feel to wheel above the grassy fields. His arousal is sharp and hot, a sudden spike of pleasure, and Merlin fits both their pricks in his hand to flick his thumb over their heads and rub both himself and Arthur to climax.

+

When a ship appears offshore one afternoon, Arthur's heart sinks at the excited expression on Merlin's face.

Merlin presses a gold coin into the palm of Arthur's hand before he departs, presses a kiss to his ear and murmurs a few words Arthur knows he cannot share but he must remember.

A few months later, the King of Bohemia arrives at the island and his son, clad in the armor of the Knight of the Dragon, kneels before Arthur and claims him as his prince.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Et Sic Incipimus Iterum (The Crown of Flowers remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6697894) by [RedQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedQueen/pseuds/RedQueen)




End file.
